Tape dispenser and applicator



1952 G. H. FRITZINGER 0 TAPE DISPENSER AND APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 10 1950F l 4 v INVENTOR Patented Jan. 22, 1952 TAPE DISPENSER AND APPLICATORGeorge H. Fritzinger, West Orange, N. J assignor 01- one-half to HaroldG. Kendall, Brooklyn,

Application February 10, 1950, Serial No. 143,526

Claims. 1

ceeding dispensing operation at the completion of each cuttingoperation. The dispenser-a1 plicator herein shown to illustrate theinvention employs this principle and embodies features claimed in myPatent 2,511,857 issued June 20, 1950, and in my pending applicationSerial No. 40,548, filed July 24, 1948. In particular, the presentinvention relates to detailed improvements in the dispenser-applicatorsshown in my pending application last mentioned above.

It will be understood that these dispenser-applicators, while adaptedespecially for applying selected lengths of tape to objects,.are usablealternatively as devices for spotting short lengths of tape at selectedpoints or as hand dispensers for drawing 01? selected lengths of tape to.be applied by hand.

The principle above stated is carried out in my application Serial No.40,548 as'follows: A tape guide member is normally positioned sothat itholds a projecting length (hereinabove referred to as the startinglength) of the tape at a dispensing position. When it is desired tosever a drawn-off length of the tape from the supply roll, the tape isheld from ,backfeeding at the dispensing station and the guide member isretracted from the dispensing station in backfeeding relation to thetape; concurrently the supply roll is maintained at a fixed distancefrom the end of the guide member so that the length of the path of thetape between theroll and the dispensing station is increased to causetape to distance from the roll, to present the starting length at thedispensing station for a succeeding dispensing operation.

Objects of this invention are to provide improvements in the embodimentsshown in my I The guide member is then returned, while being maintainedat its fixed,

pending application Serial No. 40,548 which enable the principle abovestated to be carried out by an operating mechanism which is operable bya small actuating force and which is adapted neither to offset the gumof the tape nor to reduce its adhesiveness.

, Another object is to provide such improved operating mechanism whichis adapted to enable the tape to be threaded easily into place afterinstallation of a new roll.

Another object is to provide such operating mechanism which reduces thetension on the tape during cutting to give a cleaner and straighter cut.

.Another object is to provide improvements for guiding the startinglength of the tape in an unobstructed path out of the machine after acutting operation.

,A still further object is to provide improve ments in the operatingmechanism to prevent the'starting length from being reapplied to anobject just taped should the operator release the mechanism from a,cutting position before lifting the device fromv the object. v These andother objects and features of the invention will, be apparent from thefollowing description and the appended claims. v

' In the description of the invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a dispenser-applicator embodyingthe invention, and hereinafter referred to as a taping device, whereinthe main portion of the side cover is broken away and the operatingmechanism is shown in unoperated position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the mechanism inactuated position;

Figure 3 is a frontelevational view of this taping device; a

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4--4 ofFigure l; and

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line5--5 of Figure 1.

J The taping device shown in the accompanying figures comprises ahousing made, for example, of. plastic and including a main section I0and a side cover ll each of which has a contour as shown in Figure 1.The main section comprises a side wall I2 provided with a transversewall I3 along its entire edge except at the lower forward part of thehousing whereat the wall is omitted to provide an opening 14 throughwhich thetape is dispensed. The side cover I! has a flange I5 inset fromthe edge thereof-which slidably engages'the rim of the wall [3,interiorly of the latter, to hold the cover detaohably to the mainhousing section. Extending across the side wall l2 and across the lowerportion of the wall l3, at the rear of the opening I4, is a reenforcingrib I8. This rib has a slot I! in the end thereof, which is engaged bythe flange l5 of the cover to interlock the lower portion of the wall I3to the cover. when the cover mounted on the main housing section.

The forward end of the side wall i2 is apertured to receive a stud pin[8 secured thereto as.

by riveting. A pressure roller [5, which has a resilient peripherallayer as ofrubber, is journalled on this stud pin and. retained thereonby a collar IBa near the outer end portion Qff the pin. The side cover His apertured at 20 to receive the end of this pin s9 that the cover willsupport the outer end of the pin when the pressure roller is pressedagainst an object. In order that the side cover may,-so support the studpin wit out t f. i d seased rela iv sm e m h usin secti he cover has ananch r p n w s en a ho e 4. he. main hou section.

"In the forward upper portinn; of the wall l3 there is a rectangularopening z z for an outwardw tend e. Push. utt n. 3.; his. push button ismova e nwardl to actuate th o a i m an m to c t. the. ts? and. sv ovabwardly to present a starting length of tape. in a ispens pv inioa. a i isn arh P b t s moun ed. t e, a 1: a. us h r 4 which is pivoted at itsinner end to a stud 25 carried by a lever 28. This lever is pivoted at su p r nd. 0. ashmilsier d. metal. bus i 21 c i b bo s. 8.01am? side. a lhe p sh. when ts l s i s n h botto e 1 the opening 22. The lever 26 isurged clockwise, 9 he. Push .1 1 QQI IQQ Y lk t Quter pos i e. b me ns.of. te si n sp in 29 co n c e be we n an, can .0. Q the. ate a d a b s31 on the side wall l2.

J iin al si he. cute ca t n o the. t is a cylindrical core 32 fprcarrying a supply roll 33 of pressure-sensitive tape shown by dash-dot 1s w ha a. nerin e z l e 34 a its inner end to space the roll from thepush bar 24. The core is retained on the. studby aspring p 35 w ch engaa rqq e he u tion of the stud.

In the forward portion of the housing there is a lever 31 which has atransverse arm 38 near the opening I4 on which there is mounted a blade39. This lever is pivoted on a shouldered bush-. ing 40 carried on anintegral boss 4!; of the side wall 12 at a position just below the pushbar 24.

This lever has 'an. upright arm 42, positioned between the push bar 24''and the wall 12, on the upper end of which there is a turned-over lug43. This lug engages an aperture in the push bar to couple the lever tothis bar. The spring 29 normally holds the blade 33 in a concealed'position at the rear ofthe opening it (Figure 1) whereat the lever3'I'abuts againstthe reenforcing rib l-B acting as a stop. As the pushbutton is pressed inwardly, the blade is swung forwardly into a slot 45-between the pressure roller and adjacent wall l-3a of the housing. Thewall l3a extends upwardly in an oblique direction to form a stationaryguide for slidably contacting the non-adhesive side of the tape todirect it outwardly at a clearance distance from the pressure rollerwhen the push button is released, as will appear.

Plvotally' connected to the. stud 2!; and

posed between the push bar 24 and the lever 26 is a feed and guidemember 46. This guide member comprises a bar 41 extending forwardly anddownwardly from the stud 25 to the opening l4. At its forward end thebar has a transverse lug 48 provided with a turned-up ear 49. The earand bar are apertured on an axis at right angles to the bar, andjournalled in these apertures are end trunnion'sv of a guide roller 5!that bridges nearly the full space between the side walls of the housing(Figure 4). In the bar lengthwise thereof there is a slot 52 which isengaged slidably by a stud- 53 mounted on the blade lever 31.. The slotis. curved on an arc throughout the greater portion ofits length so asto move the guide roller 5| substantially on a radius line of the pivot.a ds of. the blade lever, at a clearance distance from the guide wall13a, as the push button is pressed inwardly. However, according to theinvention, the end: portion of the slot, which is engaged by, the stud53. while. the blade is entering the slot 45. to cut the tape, is curvedupwardly so that the guide roller is retained at a substan tially fixeddistance fromv the blade. durin the cutting operation. This reduces. thetension on the tape during the cutting operation and tends to give acleaner and. straighter cut. By moving the guide roller on the radiusline. of the pivot axis o the bladelever, the tape is held at rightangles to. the, plane of the blade during. cutting, This reduces theadhesivecontact of the tape with the blade to a line and facilitates thecut-. ting action.

To conditionv the taping device for operation, a supply roll of tape isso mounted on the core 32 that the tape. from the outer end thereof iscoiled clockwise about. the. roll on Viewing the roll from the open sideof the housing. The free end of thetapeis, then drawn through the opensing M by was. he Space between the guide roller 5] and the wall, l3a of,the housing, the ade hesive side of the tape facing away from thepressure roller andtowards. the guide roller in view of the positioning.Of the supply roll on, the corev as just described, To establish aproper starting. length L of tape ahead of the guide roller, the"outwardly-projecting tape isheld stationary with respectto the housingand the push button is pressed inwardly once, to cut the extendinglength from the supply roll, and is then released.

Upon pressing the. push button inwardly, the supply roll is swungrearwardly and the guide. roller which contacts the adhesive side of thetape is retracted from the opening [4. while bein maintained at a fixeddistance from the supply roll. The. length of the path of. the tape fromthe pressure roller to the. supply roll is therefore. increased. Thiscauses the tape to be backfed withrespeetto the pressure roller, or if.the tape. is held from backfeeding as by its adherence to an objectbeing taped; which is. the case in the nor:- mal operation of' thetaping device, it causes the guide roller to be backfed along the tapeand the. tape to bedrawn from the roll. In either case, starting lengthL of tape is left projecting ahead. of the guide roller after the tapeis cut, and is fed out below the pressure roller as the push buttonreleased; (Figure 1), the tape being. carried by adhesive contact withthe guide roller and being uided'by S iding contact of its non-adhesivesidewith the guide wall [3a. Inv order that the adhesive side of theend; of the tape may not contact the guide wall and cause the, tape tobe buckled back on itself as the push button is released, the cad ga dne the suiqa al n a e he lct is. r s at 5. accordin to the present $163? ti to arhe uide will from he nd o e tape.

To use the present device for taping purposes, the operator holds thehousing hand with forefinger o i g th end, o he. pu h button. en tiltshe de ce o rdly to brin t pressure ro ler aga nst the ob e t o b taped,thus adhesively engaging th starting length of the tape with the.object. Next, he moves e devise act ss h sele t While main:

taining the pressure; roller in engagement. therewith to draw tape fromthe supply roll and; to press it against the object. When the desired eg h a e a pli t n r t rsresses push button, while continuing; either tomove; the device forwardly or h e hold n t. station ry. to cut the tape.The reason for not, permitting the device to be backfed' while the pushbutton is being pressed is to preventthe tape, already ap plied frombeing pulled loose from the object and to hold the. tape taut tofacilitate the. cutting action.

A number of advantages accrue by using the roller 5| at the end of theguide member 45. For instance, the roller permits, the gui e member tobe backfed along the adhesive side of the, tape preliminary to a'cutting operation without ofi setting the gum or. in any way destroyingits ad hesive qualities. Also, the roller-eases materially the force.required to actuate; the push button. In this respect, to reduce stillfurther-the actuating force, the peripheral surface. of thaguide rolloris broken or recessed, as by knurling grooving or etching, rooving beingshown by way of exam-. ple (Figure 4), to reduce its Contact areawiththe tape to a value just amply sufficient to maintain adherence of thetape; to. the roller when the push button is released. A still furtheradvantageof the guide roller is'that the free end portion of the tapewill remain in adhesive contaotthe-rewith, during idle operation of thepush button. Without the use of a hold-down springacting against theroller. The elimination of such hold-down spring makes it very easy to.thread the tape through the opening l5 when a new rollis installed.

Preferably, the initial positioning oi the guide roller isone whereintheroller will\ clear thetape as the tape is drawn fron thesupply rollagainst the pressure roller. However, in view of the breaking of thesurface, of the guide, roller, as above described, the roller will notincrease substantially the feed resistance; of, the tape should theroller bev in engagementwith the, tape during a dispensing operation.

In accordance with the present invention, the.

aperture 44 in the push bar is made oversize with respect to the,engaging lug. 4.3 of the blade lever so that the coupling between thesetwo members will be of, a lost-motion type. The re sult of such couplingis, that upon release oi the push button from an actuated; positiontheguide roller is returned a short distance before-.thestart oi thereturn of the. blade 39., This causes the; blade to pick up the end ofthe starting; length of the tape, to deflect it rear-weirdly away from,the pressure roller, as the. starting length. is; fed out of thehousing. one. advantageofythis action is: that the tape is preventedfrom engaging theslot 45, as well as from. adhesivelycontactingthepressure roller, and being buckled. backon itself during the feed-out ofthezstarting length. A furtheradvantageis that if; at the end ofa tapingoperation, the operator should release the: push button beiore; liiting;the, device; from the obieetf justtaped, the adhesive side of the tapeis prevented;

from accidentally reengaging the object.

A In order to. assure positively a delayed return or the blade 39. just.described. afriction washer 5 55 (Figure 4;) is: interposed between theblade leveriii: and the side wall I 2.

- In order to effect, a. clean, straight out; or the tape, particularlyat cellophane tape.- during sea-- sonsv of the yearwhen it is, in a, dryand brittle; condition. the blade 39 may hev out; off along h dash-dotline, 58.. shown in. Figure 5v to. ive it a. pointed end. The edge or thblade; along the dash-dot; line, need. not. be; sharp. but. the remain:-ing: edge. should preferably have. a, sharpness. 3 1 c proximating thatof a. razor: edge... With such a. blade the pointed end will contact;the tapemter mediate-its width and will first-nunctum the tape and theneff ct' uttina s multaneously'in the; op. posite. directions: running:from the puncture. point.

The opening 22 in the. housing is. made higher than the height of thepush button so: that the button maybe rocked upwardly when in an acetuated. position. This upward rockingis. for, the: purpose of engagingan upstanding catch 56; at; the rear end ofthebutton, with a rib. 51 onthe housing to latch themeehanism in an actuated position. The advantagein so looking the: mechanism. is to retain the starting length of tapein a protected position within the: housing as; when the device is set.aside on is being carried in a pocket, handbag, or theilike.

The embodiment of my: invention herein particularly shown and describedis intended to be illustrative and not limitative of myinvention sincethe same is subject to. changes and medi fications' without departure.from the scope of my" invention, which I endeavor toexpressaccording tothe following claims.

I claim:

'1. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of asupport for a supply roll'of said tape, a movably-mounted guide rollerengaging the adhesive side of the tape at a distance from the freeendthereof for holding a project;- ing starting length of the tape at adispensing station solely byadhesive contact, and-means effectiveupon-the tapebeing held stationaryat said station for backfeeding said;rolleragainstand along the adhesive sideof the tape; in a direction toincrease the length ofthe' tapebetween said supply roll andsaiddispensing station.

- 2. In a taping device including a support fora supply roll ofpressure-sensitive tape and a pressure roller for pressing the tapeprogressively into contact with an object as the tape is drawn from saidroll: the combinati'onof-a guide roller positioned adjacent to said;pressure roller andengaging the adhesive side of the tape at a dis-.tance from the free end thereof to hold a projecting starting length of"the tape solely by adhesive contact in a dispensing posi tion, meanseffective upon the tape being held stationary at said pressure rollerfor re- 5 tractingsaid guide roller from, the: pressure roller inbackfeeding relation to they tape, and in a direction to increase thelength of the tape be,- tween said pressure roller and said supply roll,means operable by said last-statedj means to cut 7 the tape at a placenearsaid pressure roller while said guide roller is in aretractediposition, anda stationary guide wall extending along the pathofsaid guide roller forslida-bly contacting the. non-adhesive side ofthetape projecting ahead 75. of the guide'rolIen-to guide the projectingtape ausasso past said pressure roller as said guide roller is returned.

3. In a taping device including a support for a supply roll ofpressure-sensitive tape and a pressure roller for pressing the tapeprogressively into contact with an object as the tape is drawn from saidroll: the combination of a movable guide member contacting the tape at adistance from the free end thereof for holding a projecting startinglength of the tape in a dispensing position at said pressure roller;actuatable means connected to said guide member for retracting the samefrom said pressure roller in a direction to increase the length of thepath of the tape between said pressure roller and said supply rollwhereby to cause tape to be drawn from said roll upon the tape beingheld stationary at said pressure roller as said actuatable means isactuated, means operable by said actuatable means to cut the tape at adistance ahead of the guide member while the guide member is in aretracted position, and a stationary guide wall extending along the pathof said guide member for slidably contacting the non-adhesive side ofthe tape length projecting ahead of the guide member to guide saidlength past said pressure roller as the guide member is returned, theend portion of said guide wall nearest said pressure roller beingrecessed to clear it from the end of said projecting length during saidreturn of the guide member.

4. In a taping device including a support for a supply roll ofpressure-sensitive tape and a pressure roller for pressing the tapeprogressively into contact with an object as the tape is drawn from saidroll: the combination of a guide means for holding a projecting startinglength of the tape in a dispensing position at said pressure roller,actuatable means connected to said guide means and efiective upon thetape being held stationary at said pressure roller to backfeed the guidemeans along the tape and concurrently to draw tape from said roll,tape-severing means including a blade movable through the tape from theadhesive side thereof at a place adjacent to said pressure roller, meansurging said actuatable means into an unactuated position, and alost-motion coupling between said blade and said actuatable meansformoving the blade into cutting position as said guide means is retractedand for returning said blade and guide means when said actuatable meansis released, said lostmotion coupling being adapted to delay the startof the return of said blade to cause the blade to pick up momentarilythe end of the tape and to deflect it away from said pressure roller asthe guide means is returned.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 including a friction slip meansassociated with said blade to assure a delaying of said blade within thelost-motion of said coupling during the initial return of said guidemeans.

6. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape including a support for asupply roll of said tape: the combination of guide means engaging thetape at a distance from the free end thereof to hold a projectingstarting length of the tape at a dispensing station; actuatable meansmounted for movement through a predetermined range of travel; meansoperable by said actuatable means, substantially only as the actuatablemeans is moved through a first portion of said range while the tape isheld stationary at said station, for backfeeding said guide means alongthe tape and for concurrently drawing tape from said roll; sav rams iass. 9 m ansv c upm g. said blade to said actuatable means to cause theblade' to engage the tape as said actuatable means is moved through theremaining portion of said range.

7. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape including a support for asupply roll of said tape: the combination of guide means engaging thetape at a distance from the free end thereof to hold a projectingstarting length of the tape at a dispensing station; actuatable meansmounted for movement through a predetermined range; coupling meansbetween said guide means and said actuatable means eiiective to causesaid guide means to be retracted from said station as the actuatablemeans is moved through a first portion of said range and ineffective tocause any substantial retraction of said guide means as the actuatablemeans is moved through the remaining portion of said range; a blademovable into cutting position to cut the tape at said station; and meanscoupling said blade to said actuatable means to move said blade intosaid cutting position as said actuatable means is moved through saidremaining portion of said range.

8. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of ahousing for a supply roll of said tape, said housing having an openingthrough which lengths of tape from said roll are dispensed; apivotally-mounted support in said housing; a core rotatably mounted onsaid sup port for carrying a supply roll of said tape; a guide rollerfor adhesively contacting the tape drawn from said roll and holding aprojecting length at said opening; a bar rotatably supporting said guideroller at its outer end and pivotally connected to said support at theaxis of said core, said bar having a slot lengthwise thereof; severingmeans including a lever pivoted to said housing and a blade mounted onsaid lever; means for moving said support and for concurrently actuatingsaid lever to cut the tape at said opening, said lever being controlledto cause the blade to engage the tape during the final portion of theactuating stroke of said moving means and means carried by said lever inslidable engagement with said slot for so guiding the outer end of saidbar that said guide roller is moved substantially along a radius line ofthe pivot axis of said lever as said moving means is actuated through afirst portion of its stroke, an end portion of said slot being at anangle to the remaining portion thereof to cause said guide roller to bemoved transversely to said radius line as said moving means is actuatedthrough the remaining portion of its stroke to bring said blade intoengagement with the tape.

9. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of ahousing for a supply roll of said tape, said housing having an openingthrough which lengths of tape from said roll are dispensed; apivotally-mounted support in said housing; a core rotatably mounted onsaid support for carrying a supply roll of said tape; a guide roller foradhesively contacting the tape drawn from said roll and holding aprojecting length at said opening; a bar rotatably supporting said guideroller at its outer end and pivotally connected to said support at theaxis of said core, said bar having a slot lengthwise thereof; severingmeans including a lever pivoted to said housing and a blade mounted onsaid lever; means for moving said support and for concurrently actuatingsaid lever to cut the tape at said opening, Said lever being controlledto cause the blade to engage the tape during the final por-- tion of theactuating stroke of said moving means; and meanscarried by said lever inslidable engagement with said slot for so guiding the outer end of saidbar that said guide roller is moved substantially along a radius line ofthe pivot axis of said lever as said moving means is actuated.

10. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of asupport for a supply roll of said tape; a guide roller engaging theadhesive side of the tape at a distance from the free end thereof forholding a projecting length of the tape at a dispensing station solelyby adhesive contact; means mounting said guide roller for backfeedingmovement in a direction against the adhesive side of the tape betweensaid dispensing station and said supply r011; actuatable means '1, 10coupled to said guide roller for backfeeding the same and forconcurrently increasing the length of the tape between said station andsaid supply roll; and tape severing means operable to sever the tape atsaid station while said guide roller is retracted from said station.

GEORGE H. FRITZINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,972,850 McCarthy Sept. 1. 19342,192,634 Blomquist Mar. 5, 1940 2,404,317 Salfisberg July 16, 1946

